Non detachable pull top can

ABSTRACT

A rimmed can has a top with scoring and folding lines on it. A band is beneath the scored section and is attached to a pull ring. A pair of extruded frictional clamps are on the pull ring so that when the top is pulled, the tab-shaped ruptured section is folded back along the fold line and the clamps engage the rim. Thus the tab is secured to the can.

United States Patent Waters 1 Nov. 12, 1974 1 NON DETACHABLE PULL TOPCAN 3,442,416 5/1969' Nicho1son...... 220/54 3,651,980 3/1972 Bl i220/54 [75] Inventor. Lyle E. Waters, Toburon, Calif. 3664497 5,1972Misciaw 22054 X 73 Assignee; Lawrence peska Associates, Inc" 3,730,3805/1973 Silver 220/54 New York, NY. Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves [22]Flled' July 1973 Assistant Examiner-Charles A. Marmor [21] Appl. No.2379,417 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Henry 1. Steckler [52] US. Cl. ..22 0/2 t5 9 [57] ABSTRACT l' g g g 2287 3 2 A rimmed can has atop withscoring and folding lines 220/48 on it. A band is beneath the scoredsection and is attached to a pull ring. A pair of extruded frictionalclamps are on the pull ring so that when the top is [56] ReferencesCited pulled, the tab-shaped ruptured section is folded back UNITEDSTATES PATENTS along the fold line and the clamps engage the rim.2,808,175 10/1957 Aiken 220/85 CH Thus the tab is secured to the can.3,318,495 5/1967 Roberts 222/541 3,386,613 6/1968 Traynor 220/54 8Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEUHUV 12 1974 Fig. 2

' Fig. 5

NON DETACHABLE PULL TOP CAN The present invention relates to pull topcans, and more particularly, to cans having non-detachable pull tops.

Present pull top cans have a top section that either completelyseparates from the remainder of the can after opening, or is merely bentback along a fold line, and therefore can easily work lose from the can.This results in increased litter, and in tab shaped sections that can beused as slugs in devices such as parking meters. Because of this, somestates have banned detachable pull top cans.

One solution to these problems is to use a non-pull top can, but thisrequires an external can opener, such as a church key.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to have anon-detachable pull top can.

It is another object to have a can where the ruptured tab section cannotbe used as a coin substitute.

It is still another object to have a can that does not require anexternal opening device.

In brief, these and other objects are achieved by having a rimmedcontainer with a gripable means for rupturing a top section, and meanson said gripable means for engaging the rim and securing the rupturedtab to the container.

Other objects, features, and advantages will become apparent from thedescription when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a closed can.

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along the line 2 2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an open can.

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along the line 4 4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side view.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a can 10, which can be made of aluminum,having a rim 12, and a top 14. A rupturable score 16 is on top 14 with awider portion nearest the rim 12 for easy dispensing. A fold 18 isprovided to enable the tabular ruptured section 19 to be folded back. Aband 20, which also has a fold coinciding with fold 18, extends from andis secured to, one side of rim 12. At slightly more than one half of theradius of top 14, band 20 is to be joined to tab 19 by rivot 22. A pullring 24 is secured to top 14 and band 20 by rivot 22. Extruded clamps26, 28 are on pull ring 24, which also has a finger receiving hole 30.

In operation, the user inserts his finger into hole 30 and first pullsring 24 away from the side of the can and then up. This causes score 16to rupture and tab 19 and band 20 to move away from top 14 by pivotingalong their fold 18. Then a simple wrist or finger action causes clamps26 and 28 to frictio nally engage rim 12 as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5so as to prevent tab 19 from working lost from can 10, and also to keeptab 19 from getting in the way of the mouth of the user. It will be seenthat at all times the tab 19 and band 20 are attached to can 10.

While the present invention has been described with respect to only oneembodiment, many others are possible without departing from the spiritand scope of it.

Having herein described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A container comprising a sidewall having a rim, a top sectionextending across said sidewall and having a scoring and a fold, agripable means secured to said top section for rupturing said topsection along said scoring and for folding the resultant rupturedsection along said fold towards said rim, and means mounted on saidgripable means for frictionally engaging said rim said fold extendingparallel to a tangent to said rim at the point of engagement saidengaging means comprising a pair of extruded projections for clamping toboth sides of said rim, said projections extending parallel to said rimwhen said ruptured section is fully folded towards said rim whereby saidruptured section can be folded back and secured to said rim withouttwisting while remaining attached to said container.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gripable meanscomprises a band secured at one end to said rim and at another end tosaid top.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gripable meanscomprises a pull ring.

' 4. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said scoring has agreater dimension near said rim than further away, whereby dispensing iseasier.

5. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein all of said recitedelements comprise aluminum.

6. A container as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a rivot meansfor securing said band to said top section.

7. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein said band comprises a foldcoinciding with said top section fold.

8. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sidewall is circularin cross-section and said band is slightly longer than the radius ofsaid sidewall.

1. A container comprising a sidewall having a rim, a top sectionextending across said sidewall and having a scoring and a fold, agripable means secured to said top section for rupturing said topsection along said scoring and for folding the resultant rupturedsection along said fold towards said rim, and means mounted on saidgripable means for frictionally engaging said rim said fold extendingparallel to a tangent to said rim at the point of engagement saidengaging means comprising a pair of extruded projections for clamping toboth sides of said rim, said projections extending parallel to said rimwhen said ruptured section is fully folded towards said rim whereby saidruptured section can be folded back and secured to said rim withouttwisting while remaining attached to said container.
 2. A container asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said gripable means comprises a band securedat one end to said rim and at another end to said top.
 3. A container asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said gripable means comprises a pull ring. 4.A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said scoring has a greaterdimension near said rim than further away, whereby dispensing is easier.5. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein all of said recitedelements comprise aluminum.
 6. A container as claimed in claim 2 furthercomprising a rivot means for securing said band to said top section. 7.A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein said band comprises a foldcoinciding with said top section fold.
 8. A container as claimed inclaim 2 wherein said sidewall is circular in cross-section and said bandis slightly longer than the radius of said sidewall.